Saint Ignatius High School

Dan Arbeznik '00 serves as Head Rugby Coach and is a Latin teacher in the Languages Department. Beginning August 1, 2025, Arbeznik will also serve as the Director of Global Education and the Director of Youth Programming. 

He founded the rugby program in 2005 and has served as the head coach for the past 19 years. The "A-side" has gone to the State Final Four in 19 of the previous 21 seasons, winning State Championships in 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. An avid traveler, Arbeznik has used rugby to connect his players with the rest of the world.  The team toured Ireland in 2015, Texas in 2016, France in 2017, South Africa in 2018, and Ireland again in 2019.

The team traveled to France once again in 2022 to play in Paris and Normandy and to Japan for the first time in 2023. In the spring of 2024, the Cats would play on their fifth continent, traveling to South America to play in Argentina. They would travel to Spain in 2025, visiting Toledo, Granada and Seville.

Arbeznik led the Wildcats to their first National Tournament in the 2021 season, where the Rugby team finished second as National Champion Runners-up. 

In 2022, Arbeznik led the Wildcats to their first-ever National Championship with a 23-14 win over Gonzaga (DC) at Moose Rugby Grounds in Elkhart, Indiana. The Rugby Cats have been National Runner-Ups twice, 2021 and 2024. 

In 2025, Arbeznik would lead the Wildcats back to the National Championship, defeating Herriman (UT) 20-17. It would be the program's second National Title. The Wildcats finished the season 16-2. 

Two former players for Arbeznik have gone on to be drafted into the MLR (Major League Rugby). Ricky Rose '19 was picked first overall in the 2023 MLR Draft by the Miami Sharks, and Juan Penn '18 was selected in the second round by the Chicago Hounds. 

Arbeznik is a member of the class of 2000 from Saint Ignatius High School and was a member of the football program.  He went on to major in Classical Languages and French at Xavier University where he graduated in 2004.  Arbeznik received his Masters in Education from John Carroll University in 2009. 

Arbeznik has been married to his wife, Ellen, for the past 14 years and they have three children: Cassie, Michael, and Benjamin.